It’s time for Oregon Thespians’ annual REGIONAL ACTING COMPETITIONS! It’s game-on this Saturday at Wilson, Clackamas, and Central High Schools, in what is among the nation’s largest competitive acting events.

With Thespians, though, remember that CELEBRATION supersedes COMPETITION as we recognize the tremendous amount of work and talent on display this Saturday. You’re competing against your better self — not each other — and using this opportunity to get feedback from three or four singularly qualified judges. If you leave Saturday with a sense of accomplishment, and some direction to continue on your path as a growing theatre artist, WE ALL WIN!

In nuts-and-bolts terms, remember that we’ll be recognizing 20% of the entries this weekend, with the top 10% (or 2, whichever is greater) in each event advancing as Showcase Qualifiers to the Showcase auditions at State, and the next 10% in each category (if any) being named Regional Finalists. That means 80% leave with just the judge comment sheets and evaluation forms. Value that feedback! (Even if you may not agree with it.)

Tournament Coordinators will be in touch with Troupe Directors this week. Registration starts at 8:00 am. Troupe Presidents are reminded that they have a lunch meeting to determine (among other things) the State Festival Theme for 2016. Troupe Directors will also meet, beginning during the morning rounds.

Just about everything you need to know about Regionals can be accessed from this page.

This year’s REGIONALS will be on Saturday, February 6, with the Southern Regional at Central HS in Independence; the Northwest Regional at Wilson HS in Portland; and the Northeast Regional at Clackamas HS in Clackamas. Schools located south of the 45th parallel are in the Southern Region. The East/West division for the Northern Region is at I-5. Note that this year, all Portland Public Schools are asked to register for the Northwest Regional, regardless of location.

Students planning to enter in a Technical Category at State can register with their troupe to have their entry receive “Early Entry Tech Feedback” at their Regional. This optional opportunity allows students to confirm that their entry satisfies the required elements in their event. Click here for more information.

Several of our Thespian Events are dependent on the involvement of ADJUDICATORS, who create much needed order out of our chaos by filling out forms, assigning scores and ratings, and ultimately casting our State Showcase. The most valuable thing our judges provide, though, is FEEDBACK. When you leave an adjudicated event with some new observation or feedback (whether a commendation or recommendation), you are leaving with something very valuable to anyone who practices our craft.

We need your help in recruiting qualified judges! Judge Training is January 16 in two locations: North Training is at Rex Putnam HS in Milwaukie; South Training is at McNary HS in Salem. Refer qualified individuals to the online registration site by sending them this link. Or you can enter their name and email address at this link and we’ll take care of the rest. Click here to learn more about judging.

Fall Production Season is in full swing as Thespians across Oregon are treading the boards with an impressive range of shows! Remember that we want to showcase three of these as Main Stage Productions at the State Festival. Consider submitting your show for possible selection as a Main Stage Production at this year’s Festival. You have until December 15 to turn in your completed application, along with the necessary support materials. Please remember that the committee needs two weeks notice to arrange for a live respondent to come to your show, but you can submit your show after the fact, as long as you meet the December 15 deadline. Take a look at the information found here, and give careful thought to whether or not you should submit. Points to consider include the considerable time and effort bringing a show entails, along with the practical considerations of the Elsinore Theatre’s technical specifications. Please review this information carefully, and then get in on the act!

Third Rail Repertory Theatre presents a special Oregon Thespians showing of HAMLET, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Third Rail’s public viewings of this NT LIVE presentation are selling out one after the other, with the company trying to keep pace by adding screenings of this unique opportunity to experience a bold new production of the world’s most famous play.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS to this special showing at the Marilyn Moyer Theatre on Jesuit High School’s campus, Friday, October 23, at 7 pm. All seats are $10 for Thespians, $12 for Non-Thespians, and $12 for HS Teachers, general admission (this special presentation is for high school students and educators only).

Teachers! Purchase 15 Student tickets (Thespian or Non-Thespian) in the same transaction and a Teacher ticket in that transaction will be free!

Oregon Theatre Educators Association (the teacher-centered program of Oregon’s Educational Theatre Association Chapter) will present a day-long professional development conference at Portland State University’s Lincoln Hall on Friday, October 9, from 9 am to 4:30 pm.

The theme of this year’s conference is STEAM (vs STEM) Education, infusing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math with the Arts. And vice versa.

The 2015-2016 school year is underway, and Oregon Thespians are hitting the ground running! We have two events happening right away that need your Troupe’s immediate attention.

LEADERSHIP SUMMIT is Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20. We’ll meet at Rex Putnam HS in Milwaukie on Saturday at 1 pm (after lunch) and meet through dinner, after which we’ll see PLAY ON at New Century Players, featuring some familiar faces! On Sunday morning, we meet at Portland Center Stage, downtown, where we’ll meet before lunch on your own and another show together: OUR TOWN at PCS. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER 10 (name changes are permitted through Sept 17).

Get ready for STATE 2016: March 31-April 2, 2016

Once again, our State Festival has gone mobile with GUIDEBOOK, the app that lets you carry everything you need for a fun and full weekend in the palm of your hand. Create your own schedule, search workshop and play titles to find exactly what you’re looking for, and — most importantly — keep up to date with every last-minute change or update!

You can use the following PDF files to create your own printed schedule of Workshops and One Acts. Download and print the documents before you come to State. No printed schedules will be distributed at the Festival!